Business Resources

Business Resources

Business Resource categories:

Many business resources are available for farmers and producers in British Columbia. See the resources available for new farms, business planning, labour & management, and marketing.

New Farms
✔ Business Planning
✔ Labour & Management
Marketing

New Farms

Many skills and areas of knowledge are required to start and run a farm business. Most successful producers recommend several years of experience on well-managed operations before starting a new farm.

Starting A New Farm

Government Programs

KBFA Workshops

Support Organizations

Non-Governmental

  • Young Agrarians works with a wide range of collaborators to grow supports for new farmers, including events, land access programs, farm apprenticeships, business mentorships, and community building.
  • BC Young Farmers is an association of BCAC whose members are 19 to 40 years old and work in many different agricultural sectors.

Business Planning

As an organization, KBFA focuses on technical production issues, but a farm’s viability depends on an economical business plan and sound finances. Currently, most farm business inquiries are handled by the Agriculture Business Advisor at Community Futures Central Kootenay.

Business Planning

Support Programs

The following programs offer professional consultations and business mentorships:

Economics

Online Tools

Budget Templates

KBFA Workshops - Cost of Production​

Finances

Support Programs

Loans

  • Farm Credit Canada, a Crown Corporation, invests entirely in agriculture.
  • Through CALA, several banks offer loans to new entrants (e.g. BMO, Scotia Bank, Royal Bank, Vancity).
  • Advance Payment Program gives agricultural producers cash advances.
  • Export Development Canada (EDC) is a federal export credit agency offering financial and risk management for businesses expanding into international (including US) markets.

Insurance

Federal Relief Programs

  • AgriInsurance provides cost-shared insurance for natural hazard impacts on farm production and profits.
  • AgriRecovery provides financial assistance to agricultural producers suffering the impacts of a disaster. 
  • AgriInvest provides matching contributions to an “AgriInvest account” to manage income declines or investments to mitigate risks or improve market income.
  • AgriStability provides income support to producers who experience a large margin decline.

Labour & Management

Management Support

Farm Management

Farm Labour Regulations

  • Hiring Farm Workers is a BC Government site with information on employer and employee rights and responsibilities.

Job Posting Sites

Free Canadian Sites

  • Kootenay.Jobs Agriculture Job Board is a free and widely-used resource for farms in the Kootenays to post jobs. 
  • Goodwork is free and commonly used by Canadian businesses who offer “meaningful work in nature, environment, sustainability, nonprofits…”
  • Indeed Canada is a free job-posting site, among many others, including Canadian site WOWJobs (now owned by Indeed).

Paid Posting Services

  • Betterteam is a paid service that posts your ad to many job sites simultaneously.
  • Ziprecruiter is a paid service that posts your ad to many job sites simultaneously.

Employment Programs

Wage Subsidies

  • Canada Summer Jobs Program offers up to 50% of minimum wage for employers of youth aged 15 to 30. Applications are usually accepted in February.
  • Get Youth Working! Program offers wage subsidies for employers of youth aged 18 to 24.
  • ECO Canada Employment Progams offer wage subsidies to “environmental employers” to drive valuable on-the-job work experience and essential skills training for “skilled junior talent.”

Foreign Workers

Employee Training

Marketing

Tools and Resources

Online Tools

Marketing Programs

Support

  • BC Agrifood and Seafood Market Development Program provides cost-share funding for marketing skills training, conducting market research, and developing strategic plans to prepare businesses for new domestic and international markets, and to assist exporters to expand their markets outside BC.
  • AgriMarketing Program helps small and medium-sized businesses implement international export plans, including marketing and promotion.
  • Canada Pavillion Program makes trade show participation easier at international food and beverage events.

Local Branding

Agri-Tourism Opportunities

Certification

Canada GAP

  • CanadaGAP is a fruit and vegetable certification and auditing program.

Organic Certification

Support Programs

  • AgriAssurance helps businesses certifying with a third party to fulfill international market requirements.
kbfa-keep-in-touch

Keep in Touch!

Subscribe to our bi-monthly newsletter and stay connected to free agricultural information, resources, and expertise to support you with technical production.